Curt, I know last season you had a thread dedicated to just non-Blues related free agent banter to kind've keep 500 threads from opening and a few deals are already going down but if you feel I jumped the gun feel free to delete this guy

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports that the deal will average $5.8 million a season and also carry a full no trade clause in the first four years of the deal, and then is a limited no trade clause in the final two years.

“He's proven to be a fierce competitor and outstanding leader who fits very well with our team," said Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman.

Callahan was sent to the Lightning from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline on March 5 for Martin St. Louis.

“I couldn't be happier to be part of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization for the next six years and I am excited for this new chapter of my career,” Callahan said. “Tampa Bay has been a great place to live and play from the day I got there. As soon as the season ended I knew it was a place I wanted to be.”

In 20 games with the Lightning, Callahan amassed six goals and five assists, but was kept off of the scoresheet in the playoffs where the Lightning were swept in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens.

Callahan, 29, just finished the final season of a three-year deal worth $12.85 million. The native of Rochester, New York was reportedly seeking a seven-year, $49 million deal from the Rangers prior to the trade.

Oilers acquire and sign former Blue Nikita Nikitin to two year, $9 million deal. Overpaid but they're in desperate need of a veteran blueline presence and had to do it to get it done.

Quote:

The Edmonton Oilers have acquire defenceman Nikita Nikitin from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.

The 28-year-old signed a two-year, $9 million deal with the club, according to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The Blue Jackets re-acquired the pick it sent to Edmonton in exchange for defenceman Nick Schultz on March 5.

Nikitin registered two goals and 13 assists for 15 points in 66 games played with Columbus last season. He also recorded a plus- 9 rating and 20 penalty minutes.

Acquired from St. Louis in exchange for defenceman Kris Russell on November 11, 2011, Nikitin tallied 12-44-56 in 158 games as a Blue Jacket. He has registered 13-52-65 in 206 career NHL games since being selected by the Blues in the fifth round, 136th overall, at the 2004 Entry Draft.

Oh he's not worth that much but it's how much it was going to take to get a defenseman who knows what he's doing (i.e. age 28+) to come to Edmonton.

The young oil D-men have been thrown in the fire the last season+ with very little seasoning or veteran presence to guide them. They were going to have to overpay to bring in a veteran blueliner, no two ways about it. Works for Nikitin, he gets to cash in on an opportunity then also hits free agency again at the prime of his career (age 30). Win win for both sides.

For the cap hit and that was the only reason I think. 7 years, $34.125 million but they spread out the numbers to achieve a cap hit of only $4.875 a year. First three years will pay him $6.075. Hell of a signing by the Kings. They're going to be a pain in the ass next season. Virtually the same roster

this from Spector <<<A three-or four-year deal at $5.5 million per would’ve made sense. I can even see going to five years. But seven is just too long for Gaborik. If he were 27 or 28, this deal would’ve made sense. Not now. They’d best hope Gaborik can stay reasonably healthy and productive over the next four years to make it reasonably worthwhile.

Perhaps the Kings aren’t expecting Gaborik to play out this contract. He’s 32, meaning if forced to retire before the contract expires it won’t count against the Kings cap. If so, this could become the latest example of cap circumvention, using the salary variance to work out a long-term cap-friendly deal for a player they know won’t finish his contract.>>>

I wouldnt think so I think he means Van could play for spezza with Garrison......little far fetched

Welp, here's our answer...

Just saw the breaking news on TSN. We're front and center driver seat in the Spezza deal and now we can offer less than what we were going to because a serious competitor just filled their need elsewhere. Nothing but good news for us trying to acquire Spezza.

Cap is $69 million for next season which probably helps the Blues in the hunt for Spezza or Stastny as it leaves other teams with even less wiggle room than was thought.

one thing no one has mentioned r/e the timing of Berglund signing. The Blues were able to talk with Stastny just prior to this deal happening. Assuming Stastny is option #1 for the Blues, they learned whether or not they are his first choice as well. Several scenarios fit with the decision/deal with Berglund which include him playing on our third line (don't need to deal him if we sign Stastny) or being a cost controlled 2nd liner on Ottawa (or Edmonton or....)

IF Spezza gets dealt tonight, it will be very interesting to see where he goes and for what. My guess is that the scenarios that most predict a strong possibility of us signing Stastny are that Spezza doesn't get dealt or gets dealt (even to us) for a bargain price. If we pay out the nose, it means Stastny isn't coming here. If someone else does, that's even worse news for us, cause we may very well be looking at another whiffed off-season with the "big" acquisition being Ribeiro or Grabovski.

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